Let Brexit be a lesson for those considering a vote for Donald Trump

The British citizens who voted to leave the European Union were not exactly drunk on anti- Brussels, anti-immigration fervor, but they were at least feeling a buzz from nationalistic sentiment. Like most decisions made under the influence, this one failed to take into account some of the cold facts that invariably become clear the next morning.

The most unpleasant was the sudden negative economic impact from the prospect that Britain will face new barriers to trade and investment. This shock could precipitate a recession in Europe as well as Britain.

Another sad fact was that some of the enticements held out by the Leave proponents may not actually be achieved. They have had to admit that Britain won’t have an extra 350 million pounds to spend at home, that immigration numbers may not actually decline and that the EU may not be willing to grant the concessions they envisioned.

So it’s not surprising that some of the people who voted for Brexit already regret it. But it may be too late. Having marched out the door, they could find it locked behind them.

For voters in the United States contemplating a vote for Donald Trump, it’s a cautionary tale about what can happen when you choose a drastic option you haven’t tried before on the theory that it can’t possibly hurt. As Britons are finding out, the choice they made could cause them tangible harm.

One of the members of Parliament who campaigned to leave the EU now says supporters shouldn’t expect too much on the upside. “Our promises were a series of possibilities,” he claims. Or, maybe, impossibilities.

In either case, Americans who vote for Trump expecting him to build a wall on the Mexican border at Mexico’s expense or destroy the Islamic State might want to ask if he, like the Leave leaders, really has a clue.

Decisions in the voting booth can be a cathartic way to express visceral feelings. But it’s worth remembering that they also have real consequences.